How the European Union works

Transcription

1 The European Union explained How the European Union works Your guide to the EU institutions

2 The European Union explained This publication is a part of a series that explains what the EU does in different policy areas, why the EU is involved and what the results are. You can see online which ones are available and download them: europa.eu/pol/index_en.htm bookshop.europa.eu How the European Union works Europe 2020: Europe s growth strategy The Founding Fathers of the European Union Agriculture Borders and security Budget Climate action Competition Consumers Culture and audiovisual Customs Development and cooperation Digital agenda Economic and monetary union and the euro Education, training, youth and sport Employment and social affairs Energy Enlargement Enterprise Environment Fight against fraud Fisheries and maritime affairs Food safety Foreign affairs and security policy Humanitarian aid and civil protection Internal market Justice, citizenship, fundamental rights Migration and asylum Public health Regional policy Research and innovation Taxation Trade Transport The European Union explained How the European Union works European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Publications 1049 Brussels BELGIUM Manuscript completed in June 2013 Cover: Luis Pedrosa 40 pp cm ISBN doi: /20055 Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2013 European Union, 2013 Reproduction is authorised. For any use or reproduction of individual photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. Printed in Italy Printed on white chlorine-free paper

3 The European Union explained How the European Union works Your guide to the EU institutions

4 2 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s Contents Introducing the European Union: how it works, who does what 3 The European Parliament: the voice of the people 9 The European Council: setting the strategy 12 The Council: the voice of the Member States 14 The European Commission: promoting the common interest 19 The national parliaments: enforcing subsidiarity 23 The Court of Justice: upholding EU law 24 The European Central Bank: ensuring price stability 26 The European Court of Auditors: helping to improve EU financial management 29 The European Economic and Social Committee: the voice of civil society 31 The Committee of the Regions: the voice of local government 33 The European Ombudsman: investigating your complaints 34 The European Data Protection Supervisor: protecting your privacy 35 The European Investment Bank: investing in the future 36 The EU agencies 38

5 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 3 Introducing the European Union How it works, who does what What this publication is about This publication is a guide on how the European Union (EU) works. How the EU works means: how decisions are taken at EU level and who takes those decisions. At the heart of this decision-making process are the EU institutions such as the Parliament, the Council and the European Commission which you may have heard of, and there are others. To show how the EU works, this publication first explains how EU legislation is made. It then gives further insight into each of the EU institutions, as well as the agencies and bodies supporting them. The European Union in brief At the core of the EU are the Member States the 28 countries that belong to the Union and their citizens. The unique feature of the EU is that, although these are all sovereign, independent countries, they have pooled some of their sovereignty in order to gain strength and the benefits of size. Pooling sovereignty means, in practice, that the Member States delegate some of their decision-making powers to the shared institutions they have created, so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level. The EU thus sits between the fully federal system found in the United States and the loose, intergovernmental cooperation system seen in the United Nations. the world. The success of these ambitions depends on the ability to take effective and timely decisions and to implement them well. The EU treaties The European Union is based on the rule of law. This means that every action taken by the EU is founded on treaties that have been approved voluntarily and democratically by all EU countries. The treaties are negotiated and agreed by all the EU Member States and then ratified by their parliaments or by referendum. The treaties lay down the objectives of the European Union, the rules for EU institutions, how decisions are made and the relationship between the EU and its Member States. They have been amended each time new Member States have joined. From time to time, they have also been amended to reform the European Union s institutions and to give it new areas of responsibility. The EU has achieved much since it was created in It has built a single market for goods and services that spans 28 countries with over 500 million citizens free to move and settle where they wish. It created the single currency the euro now a major world currency, and which makes the single market more efficient. It is also the largest supplier of development and humanitarian aid programmes in the world. These are just a few of the achievements so far. Looking ahead, the EU is working to get Europe out of the current economic crisis. It is at the forefront of the fight against climate change and its consequences; as it plans to keep growing, it helps neighbouring countries prepare themselves for EU membership; and it is building a common foreign policy which will do much to extend European values around On 9 May 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman first publicly proposed the ideas that led to the European Union. So 9 May is celebrated as the EU s birthday. ImageGlobe

6 4 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s The last amending treaty the Lisbon Treaty was signed in Lisbon on 13 December 2007, and came into force on 1 December Earlier treaties are now incorporated into the current consolidated version, which comprises the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union is an intergovernmental treaty which was signed by all EU Member States except the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom in March 2012 and entered into force on 1 January 2013 in all Member States which completed the ratification process. It is not an EU treaty, but an intergovernmental treaty and the intention is to bring it into EU law eventually. It is designed to foster budgetary discipline, strengthen the coordination of economic policies and to improve the governance of the euro area. At present 17 EU countries use the euro as their currency. The work of the EU is based on the treaties agreed by all the member countries the latest main update was signed in Lisbon in ImageGlobe A history of the EU treaties When French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed integrating western Europe s coal and steel industries in 1950, his ideas were set out in the Treaty of Paris the following year, and the precursor to the EU the European Coal and Steel Community was born. Since then, the EU has regularly updated and added to the treaties to ensure effective policy and decision-making. The Treaty of Paris, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, was signed in Paris on 18 April 1951 and entered into force in It expired in The Treaties of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), were signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 and came into force in The Single European Act (SEA) was signed in February 1986 and came into force in It amended the EEC Treaty and paved the way for completing the single market. The Treaty on European Union the Maastricht Treaty was signed in Maastricht on 7 February 1992 and came into force in It established the European Union, gave the Parliament more say in decision-making and added new policy areas of cooperation. The Treaty of Amsterdam was signed on 2 October 1997 and came into force in It amended previous treaties. The Treaty of Nice was signed on 26 February 2001 and entered into force in It streamlined the EU institutional system so that it could continue to work effectively after the new wave of Member States joined in The Treaty of Lisbon was signed on 13 December 2007 and came into force in It simplified working methods and voting rules, created a President of the European Council and introduced new structures with a view to making the EU a stronger actor on the global stage.

7 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 5 Who takes the decisions? Decision-making at EU level involves various European institutions, in particular: the European Parliament, which represents the EU s citizens and is directly elected by them; the European Council, which consists of the Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States; the Council, which represents the governments of the EU Member States; the European Commission, which represents the interests of the EU as a whole. The European Council defines the general political direction and priorities of the EU but it does not exercise legislative functions. Generally, it is the European Commission that proposes new laws and it is the European Parliament and Council that adopt them. The Member States and the Commission then implement them. What types of legislation are there? There are several types of legal acts which are applied in different ways. A regulation is a law that is applicable and binding in all Member States directly. It does not need to be passed into national law by the Member States although national laws may need to be changed to avoid conflicting with the regulation. X XA directive is a law that binds the Member States, or a group of Member States, to achieve a particular objective. Usually, directives must be transposed into national law to become effective. Significantly, a directive specifies the result to be achieved: it is up to the Member States individually to decide how this is done. A decision can be addressed to Member States, groups of people, or even individuals. It is binding in its entirety. Decisions are used, for example, to rule on proposed mergers between companies. Recommendations and opinions have no binding force. How is legislation passed? Every European law is based on a specific treaty article, referred to as the legal basis of the legislation. This determines which legislative procedure must be followed. The treaty sets out the decision-making process, including Commission proposals, successive readings by the Council and Parliament, and the opinions of the advisory bodies. It also lays down when unanimity is required, and when a qualified majority is sufficient for the Council to adopt legislation. The great majority of EU legislation is adopted using the Ordinary Legislative Procedure. In this procedure, the Parliament and the Council share legislative power. The freedom for all citizens to travel, live and work in all the 28 EU countries is one of the main achievements of the European Union. Heide Benser/Corbis

8 6 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s Ordinary Legislative Procedure 1. Proposal from the Commission 2. Opinions from national parliaments 3. Opinions from the European Economic and Social Committee and/or the Committee of the Regions (when this is required) FIRST READING 4. First reading by the European Parliament: Parliament adopts a position (amendments) 5. Commission can amend its proposal 6. First reading by the Council (*) 7. Council approves Parliament s position. The act is adopted 8. Council and Parliament disagree on amendments. Council adopts position at first reading SECOND READING 9. Second reading by the Parliament: Parliament approves the Council s position at first reading the act is adopted in early second reading or proposes amendments 10. Commission opinion on Parliament s amendments 11. Second reading by the Council (*) 12. Council approves all Parliament s amendments to the Council s position at first reading. The act is adopted 13. Council and Parliament disagree on amendments to the Council s position at first reading CONCILIATION 14. Conciliation Committee is convened 15. Conciliation Committee agrees on a joint text 16. Parliament and Council agree with the proposal from the Conciliation Committee, and the act is adopted 17. Parliament and/or Council disagree with the proposal from the Conciliation Committee, and the act is not adopted (*) Council adopts its position by a qualified majority (the treaties provide for unanimity in a few exceptional areas). However, if the Council intends to deviate from the Commission s proposal/opinion it adopts its position by unanimity.

9 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 7 The procedure begins with the Commission. When considering launching a proposal for action, the Commission often invites views on the topic from governments, business, civil society organisations and individuals. The opinions collected feed into a Commission proposal that is presented to the Council and Parliament. The proposal may have been made at the invitation of the Council, the European Council, the Parliament or European citizens, or it may have been made on the Commission s own initiative. The Council and the Parliament each read and discuss the proposal. If no agreement is reached at the second reading, the proposal is put before a conciliation committee comprising equal numbers of Council and Parliament representatives. Commission representatives also attend the committee meetings and contribute to the discussions. Once the committee has reached an agreement, the agreed text is then sent to Parliament and the Council for a third reading, so that it can finally be adopted as law. In most cases, the Parliament votes on proposals by simple majority and the Council by qualified majority voting, whereby each Member State has a certain number of votes in line with its size and population. In some cases, unanimous voting is required in the Council. Special procedures Special legislative procedures are available depending on the subject of the proposal. In the Consultation Procedure, the Council is required to consult Parliament on a proposal from the Commission, but is not required to accept Parliament s advice. This procedure is only applicable in a few areas, such as internal market exemptions and competition law. In the Consent Procedure, Parliament may accept or reject a proposal, but may not propose amendments. This procedure can be used when the proposal concerns the approval of an international treaty that has been negotiated. In addition, there are limited cases where the Council and the Commission, or the Commission alone, can pass legislation. These bodies are: the European Economic and Social Committee, which represents civil society groups such as employers, trades unions and social interest groups; the Committee of the Regions, which ensures that the voice of local and regional government is heard. In addition, other institutions and bodies may be consulted when a proposal falls within their area of interest or expertise. For example, the European Central Bank would expect to be consulted on proposals concerning economic or financial matters. Citizens participation By means of a European Citizens Initiative, 1 million EU citizens from at least one quarter of the EU Member States may invite the Commission to bring forward a legislative proposal on a particular issue. The Commission will carefully examine all initiatives that fall within the framework of its powers and that have been supported by 1 million citizens. An audition of the initiatives is done in the Parliament. Such initiatives may therefore influence the work of the EU institutions, as well as the public debate. Who is consulted, who can object? In addition to the Commission Council Parliament triangle, there are a number of advisory bodies that must be consulted when proposed legislation involves their area of interest. Even if their advice is not taken, this contributes to the democratic oversight of EU legislation by ensuring that it is subject to the widest scrutiny. Citizens can now propose new laws, by means of the European Citizens' Initiative. Bernd Vogel/Corbis

10 8 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s National oversight National parliaments receive draft legislative acts at the same time as the European Parliament and the Council. They can give their opinion to ensure that decisions are taken at the most appropriate level. EU actions are subject to the principle of subsidiarity which means that, except in the areas where it has exclusive powers, the Union only acts where action will be more effective at EU level than at national level. National parliaments therefore monitor the correct application of this principle in EU decision-making. What decisions are taken The treaties list the policy areas in which the EU can take decisions. In some policy areas, the EU has exclusive competence, which means that decisions are taken at EU level by the Member States meeting in the Council and the European Parliament. These policy areas cover customs, competition rules, monetary policy for the euro area and the conservation of fish and trade. In other policy areas, there is shared competence between the Union and the Member States. This means that if legislation is passed at EU level, then these laws have priority. However, if no legislation is adopted at EU level, then the individual Member States may legislate at national level. Shared competence applies in many policy areas, such as the internal market, agriculture, the environment, consumer protection and transport. In all other policy areas the decisions remain with the Member States. Thus, if a policy area is not cited in a treaty, the Commission cannot propose a law in that area. However, in some fields, such as the space sector, education, culture and tourism, the Union can support Member States efforts. And in others, such as overseas aid and scientific research, the EU can carry out parallel activities, such as humanitarian aid programmes. Economic coordination All EU countries are part of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), meaning that they coordinate their economic policymaking and treat economic decisions as a matter of common concern. Within the EMU, no institution alone is responsible for overall economic policy. These responsibilities are divided between the Member States and the EU institutions. Monetary policy which deals with price stability and interest rates is managed independently by the European Central Bank (ECB) in the euro area, i.e. in those 17 countries which use the euro as their currency. Fiscal policy which concerns decisions about taxation, spending and borrowing is the responsibility of the 28 Member State governments. So are the policies about labour and welfare. However, as fiscal decisions taken by one euro area Member State can have an impact throughout the euro area, these decisions must conform to rules set at EU level. Therefore, the coordination of sound public finances and structural policies is necessary for the EMU to function effectively and to ensure stability and growth. In particular, the economic crisis that began in 2008 highlighted the need to strengthen economic governance in the EU and in the euro area, by means of inter alia closer policy coordination, monitoring and supervision. The Council monitors Member States public finances and economic policies and can make recommendations to individual EU countries based on proposals from the Commission. It may recommend adjustment measures and sanction euro area countries that do not take corrective measures to reduce excessive deficit and debt levels. The governance of the euro area and major economic policy reforms are also discussed in the Euro Summits, where Heads of State or Government of euro area members meet. The EU and foreign relations Relations with countries outside of the EU are under the responsibility of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who is appointed by the European Council, but also holds the post of European Commission Vice-President. At the level of Heads of State or Government, the Union is represented by the President of the European Council. The European External Action Service (EEAS) serves as a foreign ministry and diplomatic service for the Union under the authority of the High Representative. It is composed of expert staff transferred from the Council, the Member States and the European Commission. The Council develops and takes decisions in the field of the EU s foreign and security policy on the basis of guidelines set by the European Council. The Commission, on the other hand, is responsible for trade and funding for non-eu countries, such as humanitarian or development aid. The Commission also represents the Union in all areas of EU competence outside foreign and security policy.

11 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 9 The European Parliament The voice of the people Role: directly elected legislative arm of the EU Members: 766 Members of the European Parliament Location: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by EU citizens to represent their interests. Elections are held every five years and all EU citizens over 18 years old (16 in Austria) some 380 million are entitled to vote. The Parliament has 766 MEPs from all 28 Member States. The official seat of the European Parliament is in Strasbourg (France), although the institution has three places of work: Strasbourg, Brussels (Belgium) and Luxembourg. The main meetings of the whole Parliament, known as plenary sessions, take place in Strasbourg 12 times per year. Additional plenary sessions are held in Brussels. Committee meetings are also held in Brussels. Number of MEPs per Member State in 2013 Member State Number of MEPs Austria 19 Belgium 22 Bulgaria 18 Croatia 12 Cyprus 6 Czech Republic 22 Denmark 13 Estonia 6 Finland 13 France 74 Germany 99 Greece 22 Hungary 22 Ireland 12 Composition of the European Parliament The seats in the European Parliament are allocated among the Member States on the basis of their share of the EU population. On 1 July 2013 Croatia became the 28th Member State of the European Union and 12 Croatian Members joined the European Parliament for the rest of this parliamentary term. For the elections to the Parliament in 2014, the total number of MEPs will be adjusted to 751. Most MEPs are associated with a national political party in their home country. In the European Parliament the national parties group into EU-wide political groupings and most MEPs belong to one of these. Member State Number of MEPs Italy 73 Latvia 9 Lithuania 12 Luxembourg 6 Malta 6 Netherlands 26 Poland 51 Portugal 22 Romania 33 Slovakia 13 Slovenia 8 Spain 54 Sweden 20 United Kingdom 73 TOTal 766

12 10 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s Number of MEPs in each political group as of july 2013 Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats S & D 196 European United Left/Nordic Green Left EUL/NGL 34 Greens/European Free Alliance Greens/EFA 58 Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe ALDE 85 European People s Party (Christian Democrats) EPP 275 TOTal 766 European Conservatives and Reformists ECR 55 Europe of Freedom and Democracy EFD 35 Non-attached members NI 28 What the European Parliament does The Parliament has three main roles. 1. It shares with the Council the power to legislate to pass laws. The fact that it is a directly elected body helps guarantee the democratic legitimacy of European law. 2. It exercises democratic supervision over all EU institutions, and in particular the Commission. It has the power to approve or reject the nomination of the President of the Commission and Commissioners, and the right to censure the Commission as a whole. 3. It shares authority with the Council over the EU budget and can therefore influence EU spending. At the end of the budget procedure, it adopts or rejects the budget in its entirety. These three roles are described in greater detail below. 1. The power to legislate The most common procedure for adopting EU legislation is called the ordinary legislative procedure also known as the co-decision procedure. This places the European Parliament and the Council on an equal footing, and the laws passed using this procedure are joint acts of the Council and Parliament. It applies to the majority of EU legislation, covering a wide range of fields such as consumer rights, environmental protection and transport. Under the ordinary legislative procedure the Commission makes a proposal which must be adopted both by the Parliament and the Council. Parliament s assent is required for all international agreements in fields covered by the ordinary legislative procedure. Parliament must be consulted on a range of other proposals, and its approval is required for important political or institutional decisions, such as social security and protection acts, tax-related provisions in the area of energy, and harmonisation of turnover taxes and indirect taxation. Parliament also provides the impetus for new legislation by examining the Commission s annual work programme, considering what new laws would be appropriate, and asking the Commission to put forward proposals. 2. The power of supervision Parliament exercises democratic supervision over the other European institutions. It does so in several ways. Firstly, when a new Commission is to be appointed, Parliament holds auditions of all the prospective new members and President of the Commission (nominated by the Member States). They cannot be appointed without Parliament s approval. Furthermore, the Commission is politically answerable to Parliament, which can pass a motion of censure calling for its mass resignation. More generally, Parliament exercises control by regularly examining reports sent to it by the Commission and asking written and oral questions. The Commissioners attend plenary sessions of Parliament and meetings of the parliamentary committees. Similarly, the Parliament holds a regular dialogue with the President of the European Central Bank on monetary policy.

13 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 11 Martin Schulz was elected President of the European Parliament in EU Parliament also monitors the work of the Council: MEPs regularly ask the Council written and oral questions, and the Council Presidency attends the plenary sessions and takes part in important debates. For some policy areas, which include common foreign and security policy, the Council alone is responsible for decision-making. But the Parliament nonetheless works closely with the Council in these areas. Parliament can also exercise democratic control by examining petitions from citizens and setting up special committees of inquiry. Finally, Parliament provides input to every EU summit (the European Council meetings). At the opening of each summit, the President of Parliament is invited to express Parliament s views and concerns about topical issues and the items on the European Council s agenda. 3. The power of the purse The EU s annual budget is decided jointly by Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Parliament debates it in two successive readings, and it does not come into force until it has been signed by the President of Parliament. Its Committee on Budgetary Control monitors how the budget is spent, and each year Parliament decides whether to approve the Commission s handling of the budget for the previous financial year. This approval process is technically known as granting a discharge. How the Parliament works Parliament elects its own President for a two-and-ahalf-year term. The President represents the Parliament to the other EU institutions as well as to the outside world, and is assisted by 14 Vice-Presidents. The President of the European Parliament, together with the President of the Council, signs all legislative acts once they are adopted. Parliament s work is divided into two main stages. Preparing for the plenary session: this is done by the MEPs in the 20 parliamentary committees that specialise in particular areas of EU activity, for example the ECON Committee for Economic and Monetary Affairs or the INTA Committee for International Trade. The issues for debate are also discussed by the political groups. The plenary session itself: plenary sessions, attended by all MEPs, are normally held in Strasbourg (one week per month) and sometimes additional sessions are held in Brussels. At plenary sessions, Parliament examines proposed legislation and votes on amendments before coming to a decision on the text as a whole. Other items on the agenda may include Council or Commission communications or questions about what is going on in the EU or in the wider world.

14 12 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s The European Council Setting the strategy Role: defines political direction and priorities Members: Heads of State or Government from each Member State, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission Location: Brussels european-council.europa.eu The European Council brings together the EU s top political leaders, i.e. Prime Ministers and Presidents along with its President and the President of the Commission. They meet at least four times a year to give the EU as a whole general political direction and priorities. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also takes part in the meetings. What the European Council does As a summit meeting of the Heads of State or Government of all the EU countries, the European Council represents the highest level of political cooperation between the Member States. At their meetings, the leaders decide by consensus on the overall direction and priorities of the Union, and provide the necessary impetus for its development. The European Council does not adopt legislation. At the end of each meeting it issues conclusions, which reflect the main messages resulting from the discussions and take stock of the decisions taken, also as regards their follow-up. The conclusions identify major issues to be dealt with by the Council, i.e. the meetings of ministers. They may also invite the European Commission to come forward with proposals addressing a particular challenge or opportunity facing the Union. European Council meetings as a rule take place at least twice every six months. Additional (extraordinary or informal) meetings may be called to address urgent issues in need of decisions at the highest level, for example in economic affairs or foreign policy. President of the European Council The work of the European Council is coordinated by its President, who is responsible for convening and chairing European Council meetings and driving forward its work. The European Council President also represents the Union to the outside world. Together with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, he or she represents Union interests in foreign affairs and security matters. The President is elected by the European Council for a once-renewable term of two and a half years. The Presidency of the European Council is a full-time job; the President may not simultaneously hold a national office. How the European Council takes its decisions The European Council takes most of its decisions by consensus. In a number of cases, however, qualified majority applies, such as the election of its President, and the appointment of the Commission and of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. When the European Council decides by vote, only the Heads of State or Government may cast a vote. Secretariat The European Council is assisted by the General Secretariat of the Council.

15 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 13 Euro summit Outside of the European Council, the Heads of State or Government of those countries whose currency is the euro also meet at least twice a year, together with the President of the European Commission. The President of the European Central Bank is also invited to these euro summit meetings. The President of the European Parliament may also be invited. The meetings are an opportunity to discuss the governance of the euro area, as well as major economic policy reforms. The euro summit is formally established by the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG) that was signed by 25 Member States in 2012 and entered into force on 1 January The President of the euro summit is appointed by the Heads of State or Government of euro area members. The appointment takes place at the same time as that of the President of the European Council, and has the same duration. The two positions can be held by the same person. In some cases, the leaders of the countries which have ratified the TSCG but do not use the euro as their Herman Van Rompuy chairs the EU summits as President of the European Council. currency also take part in euro summit discussions. When these countries are not eligible to participate, the President of the euro summit keeps them and the other EU Member States closely informed of the preparation and outcome of the summits. EU A confusion of Councils: which is which? It is easy to become confused about which European body is which especially when very different bodies have very similar names, such as the following three Councils. The European Council This means the Heads of State or Government (i.e. Presidents and/or Prime Ministers) of all the EU countries, together with its President and the President of the European Commission. It is the highestlevel policymaking body in the European Union, which is why its meetings are often called summits. The Council Also known as the Council of Ministers, this institution consists of government ministers from all the EU countries. The Council meets regularly to take detailed decisions and to pass European laws. The Council of Europe This is not an EU institution at all. It is an intergovernmental organisation which aims to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It was set up in 1949 and one of its early achievements was to draw up the European Convention on Human Rights. To enable citizens to exercise their rights under that Convention it set up the European Court of Human Rights. The Council of Europe now has 47 Member States, including all EU countries, and its headquarters are in Strasbourg, France.

16 14 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s The Council The voice of the Member States Role: deciding on policies and adopting legislation Members: One minister from each Member State Location: Brussels and Luxembourg consilium.europa.eu In the Council, ministers of EU Member States meet to discuss EU matters, take decisions and pass laws. The ministers who attend these meetings have the authority to commit their government to the actions agreed in the Council meetings. What the Council does The Council is an essential EU decision-maker. Its work is carried out in Council meetings that are attended by one minister from each of the EU s national governments. The purpose of these gatherings is to: discuss, agree, amend and, finally, adopt legislation; coordinate the Member States policies; or define the EU s foreign policy. Which ministers attend which Council meeting depends on the subjects on the agenda this is known as the configuration of the Council. If, for example, the Council is to discuss environmental issues, the meeting will be attended by the environment minister from each EU Member State and is known as the Environment Council ; likewise, for the Economic and Financial Affairs Council or the Competitiveness Council, and so on. The Presidency of the Council rotates between the Member States every six months. It is not the same as the President of the European Council. The responsibility of the government holding the Presidency is to organise and chair the different Council meetings. By way of exception, the Foreign Affairs Council is chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who carries out foreign policy on behalf of the Council. In the interest of continuity of Council business, the six-monthly Presidencies work together closely in groups of three. These three-presidency teams ( trios ) draw up a joint programme of Council work over an 18-month period. The EU countries have agreed on a 'Europe 2020' strategy on how to get out of the economic crisis with smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Council ministers take many decisions in order to implement this strategy. imago/xinhua/reporters

17 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 15 Council Presidencies Year January June July December 2013 Ireland Lithuania 2014 Greece Italy 2015 Latvia Luxembourg 2016 Netherlands Slovakia 2017 Malta United Kingdom 2018 Estonia Bulgaria 2019 Austria Romania 2020 Finland Each minister in the Council is empowered to commit his or her government. Moreover, each minister in the Council is answerable to the elected national authorities. This ensures the democratic legitimacy of the Council s decisions. The Council has five key responsibilities. 1. To pass European laws. In most fields, it legislates jointly with the European Parliament. 2. To coordinate the Member States policies, for example, in the economic field. 3. To develop the EU s common foreign and security policy, based on guidelines set by the European Council. 4. To conclude international agreements between the EU and one or more states or international organisations. 5. To adopt the EU s budget, jointly with the European Parliament. The Council s work is described in greater detail below. 1. Legislation Much EU legislation is adopted jointly by the Council and Parliament. As a general rule, the Council only acts on a proposal from the Commission, and the Commission normally has responsibility for ensuring that EU legislation, once adopted, is correctly applied. 2. Coordinating the policies of Member States (an example: economic policy) All EU Member States are part of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) even though not all belong to the euro area. Under EMU, EU economic policy is based on close coordination of national economic policies. This coordination is carried out by the economics and finance ministers who collectively form the Economic and Financial Affairs (Ecofin) Council. 3. Common foreign and security policy (CFSP) The definition and implementation of the EU s foreign and security policy is the exclusive competence of the European Council and the Council acting unanimously. It is put into effect by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy together with the Member States, meeting in the Foreign Affairs Council. 4. Concluding international agreements Each year, the Council concludes (i.e. officially signs) a number of agreements between the European Union and non-eu countries, as well as with international organisations. These agreements may cover broad areas such as trade, cooperation and development, or they may deal with specific subjects such as textiles, fisheries, science and technology, transport, etc. Such agreements are subject to the assent of the European Parliament in areas where it has co-decision powers. 5. Approving the EU budget The EU s annual budget is decided jointly by the Council and the European Parliament. If the two institutions do not agree, then conciliation procedures are followed until a budget is approved. There are 10 different Council configurations: Chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: Foreign Affairs Chaired by the Member State holding the Presidency of the Council: General Affairs Economic and Financial Affairs Justice and Home Affairs Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space) Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Agriculture and Fisheries Environment Education, Youth, Culture and Sport

18 16 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s How the Council works All Council discussions and votes on legislative acts take place in public. Such meetings can be watched live via the Council s website. Overall consistency in the work of the different Council configurations is ensured by the General Affairs Council, which monitors the effective follow-up of European Council meetings. It is supported by the Permanent Representatives Committee ( Coreper from the French: Comité des Représentants Permanents ). Coreper is composed of the Member States governments Permanent Representatives to the European Union. In Brussels, each EU Member State has a team ( Permanent Representation ) that represents it and defends its national interests at EU level. The Head of each Representation is, in effect, his or her country s ambassador to the EU. These ambassadors meet weekly within the Coreper. The role of Coreper is to prepare the work of the Council, with the exception of agricultural issues which are handled by the Special Committee on Agriculture. Coreper is assisted by a number of working groups made up of officials from the national administrations. Votes per country in the Council Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom 29 Spain, Poland 27 Romania 14 Netherlands 13 Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal 12 Bulgaria, Austria, Sweden 10 Denmark, Ireland, Croatia, Lithuania, Slovakia, 7 Finland Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Slovenia 4 Malta 3 Total 352 Number of votes required for qualified majority 260 General Secretariat of the Council The General Secretariat of the Council assists both the European Council and its President, and the Council and its rotating Presidencies. It is headed by a Secretary- General appointed by the Council. How many votes per country? Decisions in the Council are taken by vote. At present, the Council decides by qualified-majority voting, except where the treaties require a different procedure, e.g. a unanimous vote in the fields of taxation and foreign policy. Under qualified-majority voting, the larger the population the more votes a Member State has, although this system is adjusted to give proportionally more weight to less-populous countries. In 2014, the current qualified-majority voting method will be replaced by a new one double majority voting. To be passed by the Council, proposed EU laws will then require a majority not only of the EU s member countries (55 %) but also of the EU population (65 %). This will reflect the legitimacy of the EU as a union of both peoples and nations. It will make EU lawmaking both more transparent and more effective. And it will be accompanied by a new mechanism whereby at least four Member States representing at least 35 % of the EU population can block a decision. Where this mechanism is used, the Council is required to do everything in its power to reach a satisfactory solution within a reasonable time period. What is enhanced cooperation? If some Member States want to cooperate more closely in policy areas that are not the exclusive competence of the EU but they are unable to get the agreement of all the other Member States, then the enhanced cooperation mechanism allows them to work together. It permits at least nine Member States to use the EU institutions to achieve closer cooperation. However, there are conditions: this cooperation must further the objectives of the Union and it must be open to all other Member States if they wish to join. The procedure is being used by a number of countries for divorce law, enabling them to find a common solution for couples from different EU countries wishing to divorce within the EU. It is also in place for a unitary patenting system that involves most but not all EU Member States.

19 Y O U R G U I D E T O T H E E U I N S T I T U T I O N S 17 The Eurogroup All Member States participate in Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), meaning they coordinate their economic policymaking and treat economic decisions as a matter of common concern to all. However, not all Member States have joined the euro area and adopted the single currency the euro. Some have chosen not to join at present, while others are still preparing their economies to meet the criteria for euro area membership. Euro area Member States need to cooperate closely, and are also subject to the single monetary policy run by the European Central Bank. Therefore, the euro area Member States require a forum to discuss and decide on policies for the euro area. This cannot be the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) as this comprises all Member States. The solution is the Eurogroup, which consists of the ministers of economy and finance of the euro area members. The Eurogroup acts to promote economic growth and financial stability in the euro area by coordinating economic policies. As only Ecofin can formally take decisions on economic matters, the Eurogroup meets informally on the day before Ecofin meetings, roughly once a month. The next day, the agreements reached in the informal Eurogroup gathering are formally decided upon in the Ecofin meeting by the Eurogroup members. Only Ecofin ministers representing euro area members vote on Eurogroup matters. The Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the President of the European Central Bank also attend Eurogroup meetings. The members of the Eurogroup elect a President for a term of two and a half years. The General Secretariat of the Council provides administrative support for Eurogroup meetings. The common foreign and security policy The European Union is progressively developing a common foreign and security policy (CFSP) which is subject to different procedures when compared to other policy areas. The CFSP is defined and implemented by the European Council and the Council working together. The Union s wider international objectives are to advance democracy, the rule of law, human rights and freedom, and respect for human dignity and the principles of equality and solidarity. To achieve these objectives, the EU develops relations and partnerships with other countries and organisations around the world. Responsibilities for the CFSP are as follows. The European Council, chaired by the President, defines the common foreign and security policy taking into account the strategic interests of the Union, including matters with defence implications. Associated Press / Reporters New EU rules on economic and financial governance help to clean up and strengthen the banking sector. The Council, in particular the Foreign Affairs Council, then takes the decisions needed to define and implement the CFSP following the European Council guidelines. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy chairs the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. The High Representative, together with the Member States, then puts the CFSP into effect, ensuring its implementation is consistent and effective. To do this, he or she can call on national and Union resources.

20 18 H o w T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N w O R k s The EU countries law enforcers must work together to fight international crime. Matteis/ LookatSciences/Reporters The European External Action Service (EEAS) serves as a foreign ministry and diplomatic service for the Union. The High Representative is head of the service, which is composed of expert staff transferred from the Council, the Member States and the European Commission. The EU has delegations in the majority of countries around the world and they are part of the EEAS. They work closely on CFSP matters alongside national embassies of EU Member States. Matters of importance to the CFSP can be raised with the Council by any Member State or the High Representative acting alone or with the Commission. Given the often urgent nature of some CFSP issues, there are mechanisms in place to ensure decisions can be taken quickly. Generally speaking, decisions in this area are taken unanimously. As well as driving forward the CFSP, the High Representative also represents the Union s foreign and security policy worldwide, conducting political dialogue with non-eu countries and partners and expressing the EU s position in international organisations and meetings. At the level of Heads of State or Government, the Union is represented by the President of the European Council. One aspect of the CFSP is security and defence questions, where the EU is developing a common security and defence policy (CSDP). This policy is designed to enable EU Member States to undertake crisis management operations. These are humanitarian and peacemaking or peacekeeping missions, which can either be of a military or civilian nature. The Member States voluntarily make some of their forces available to the EU for such operations. This is always coordinated with NATO, whose command structures are sometimes used for practical tasks in EU missions. A number of permanent EU bodies coordinate this work. The Political and Security Committee (PSC) monitors the international situation and examines the EU s options for response during a crisis situation abroad. The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) consists of the chiefs of defence from all EU countries and directs EU military activities and provides advice on military matters. The European Union Military Staff (EUMS) is composed of military experts who work at a permanent military headquarters in Brussels and assist the EUMC.

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